Richard Baxter:
(Sept. 23. 1667)
**ON REDEMPTION OF TIME**
O value Time before it’s gone!
Use it before it’s taken from you!
Dispatch the work that you were made for: Repent and turn to God unfeignedly: Prepare for death without delay: Time will not stay; nor will it ever be recovered: Were it not lest I should write a Treatise instead of a Preface, I would especially press this on all these following sorts of people.
1. Those that are young, who have yet the flower of their Time to use, that they cast it not away on childish vanity or lust.
2. Those that have lost much Time already, that they shew the sincerity of their Repentance, by Redeeming the rest, and lose no more.
3. Those that are yet ignorant, ungodly and unprepared for death, and the world to come; O what need have these to make haste, and quickly get into a safer state, before their Time be at an end.
4. Those that in sickness resolved and promised, if God would recover them, to redeem their Time.
5. The weak and aged, who nature and sickness do call upon to make haste.
6. The poor and servants, whose opportunities for spiritual means are scant, and therefore have need to take them when they may; especially on the Lords day.
7. Those that live under excellent helps, and advantages for their souls; which if they neglect, they may never have again.
8. And those that by Office or Power have special opportunity to do good. All these have a double obligation to value and redeem their Time.
Dispatch the work that you were made for: Repent and turn to God unfeignedly: Prepare for death without delay: Time will not stay; nor will it ever be recovered: Were it not lest I should write a Treatise instead of a Preface, I would especially press this on all these following sorts of people.
1. Those that are young, who have yet the flower of their Time to use, that they cast it not away on childish vanity or lust.
2. Those that have lost much Time already, that they shew the sincerity of their Repentance, by Redeeming the rest, and lose no more.
3. Those that are yet ignorant, ungodly and unprepared for death, and the world to come; O what need have these to make haste, and quickly get into a safer state, before their Time be at an end.
4. Those that in sickness resolved and promised, if God would recover them, to redeem their Time.
5. The weak and aged, who nature and sickness do call upon to make haste.
6. The poor and servants, whose opportunities for spiritual means are scant, and therefore have need to take them when they may; especially on the Lords day.
7. Those that live under excellent helps, and advantages for their souls; which if they neglect, they may never have again.
8. And those that by Office or Power have special opportunity to do good. All these have a double obligation to value and redeem their Time.